Diaper with interwoven hydrophobic yarns



Nov. 5, 1968 N. L. SELTZER 9,0

DIAPER 'WlTH INTERWOVEN HYDROPHOBIC YARNS Filed Jan. 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l WARPWISE:

NORMAN L. SELTZER INVENTOR.

Nov. 5, 1968 N. L. SELTZER 3,409,012

DIAPER WjTH INTERWOVEN HYDROPHOBIC YARNS Filed Jan. 10, 196; 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m I ,4-;5-:-6 7 a119,;

g C 5 INVENTOR.

g NORMAN L. 5ELTZER Nov. 5, 1968 N. L. SELTZ ER 3,409,012

DIAPER WITH INTERWOVEN HYDROPHOBIC YARNS Filed Jan. 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. NORMAN L. SELTZER Nov. 5, 1968 N. L. SELTZER 3,409,012

DIAPER WITH INTERWOVEN HYDROPHOBIC YARNS Filed Jan. 10. 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. NORMAN L SELTZEE United States Patent 3,409,012 DIAPER WITH INTERWOVEN HYDROPHOBIC YARNS Norman L. Seltzer, Princeton, N .J., assignor, by ,mesne assignments, to Riegel Textile Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 337,044

4 Claims. (Cl.'128--284) constructed so as to position'hydrophobic, ornon-water absorbing yarns, to predominantly make up the face of the diaper that is to be placed in contact with the babys skin, and hydrophilic, or water absorbing yarns, to predominantly make up the opposite side of the face. This construction may be obtained in a single layer or multilayer diaper fabric by conventional float weave designs, such as twill, sateen, birdseye, etc., in which hydrophobic and hydrophilic yarns are interwoven to float the hydrophobic yarns to be predominantly on the face or surface of'the diaper fabric to be placed in contact with the babys skin and to float the hydrophilic yarns to be predominantly on the opposite side of the face to hold moisture-away from the babys skin.

Suitable fibers for forming hydrophobic yarns for utili- 'zation with the present invention are Orlon, Dacron, nylon, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, etc. Examples of suitable fibers for forming hydrophilic yarns are cotton and rayon.

A salient feature of the instant invention is to provide a diaper ready for use wherein opposite faces thereof are predominantly formed of hydrophobic yarns with hydrophilic yarns being inter-woven therewith and being predominantly disposed interiorly of the diaper faces whereby either face of the diaper may be disposed in contact with the babys skin to function in the desired manner to aid in keeping the babys skin dry. A diaper of this construction may be formed of single layer or multi-layer woven diaper fabrics. However, a multi-layer fabric is preferred due to the resulting increased bulk and the desired absorbency being more readily obtained while maintaining the desired degree of diaper softness or hand. Further, a multi-layer fabric construction permits positioning the hydrophobic yarns to predominantly make up the opposite faces of the woven diaper across the entire area thereof, with the hydrophilic yarns predominanantly forming the underside of the faces, to thus enable the diaper to be folded in any desired manner and either face of the (folded diaper to be used to obtain the desired benefits of the invention. As is apparent, in a single layer construction wherein the hydrophobic yarns predominantly make up only one face of the diaper, care must be exercised in folding the diaper to position the hydrophobic yarns on the exterior face that is to be placed in contact with the babys skin.

With the foregoing in mind, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a unitary woven diaper fabric which is constructed to be folded to the desired diaper thickness for use and wherein the face of the diaper which is to be placed in contact with the babys skin is predominantly formed of hydrophobic yarns to tend to draw or pass moisture toward the other side of the diaper which is predominantly formed of hydrophilic yarns to receive and retain the moisture away from the babys skin.

3,409,012 Patented Nov. 5, 1968 ice It is a more specific object to provide a diaper of the type described which is adaptedto be folded and wherein both faces of the folded diaper are predominantly made of hydrophobic yarns to permit either face of the diaper to be placed against the skin of the baby to obtain the full benefits of the invention. I

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a multi-ply diaper fabric constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the diaper frabric of FIGURE 1 folded and sewn to provide a prefolded diaper ready for use;

FIGURE 4 is a greattly enlarged fragmentary plan view of blocked area 4 in the central panel of FIGURE 3 showing a twill weave pattern to position hydrophobic filling yarns to, predominately make up the face of the central panel of the diaper;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but showing the reverse side of the fabric layer wherein hydrophilic warp yarns are predominant;

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 4 to further illustrate the predominance of the hydrophobic filling yarns on the face of the diaper;

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 4 for further illustrating the hydrophilic wrap yarns perdominantly forming the underside of the face layer of the diaper;

FIGURE 8 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary plan view of blocked area 8 in a side panel of FIGURE 3 showing a twill weave pattern to position hydrophobic filling yarns to predominantly make up the face of the side panel of the diaper;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 but showing the reverse side of the side panel fabric layer wherein hydrophilic warp yarns predominantly make up the undersurface; FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIGURE 8 to further illustrate the pre; dominance of the hydrophobic filling yarns on the face of the diaper;

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIGURE 8 to further illustrate the underside of the face layer being formed predominantly of hydrophilic yarns; 7,

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic fragmentary perspective view of the various fabric layers illustrating the arrangement of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic yarns with respect to both sides of each layer.

FIGURE 13 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention wherein a two ply diaper fabric is shown;

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view taken along line 14-14 of FIGURE 13; and

FIGURE 15 is a diagrammatic fragmentary perspective view of the respective fabric layers of the second form of the invention and particularly illustrating the arrangement of the hydrophobic yarns to predominantly make up both outer faces of the fabric withv the hydrophilic yarns predominantly forming the interior surfaces of the diaper.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, and particularly FIGURE 1, reference numeral 10 broadly designates a woven multi-ply diaper fabric having a central panel 11, side panels or pinning bar panels -12 and 13 and pinking bar panels 14 and 15. Selvages 16 and 17 define opposite ends of the respective. panels which extend uninterruptedly fillingwise between the Selvages.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, central panel 11 is formed of four fabric layers 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, respectively, for obtaining the desired diaper absorbency. Each of the side panels 12 and :13 are shown as being formed of two fabric layers 12a, 12b and 13a, 13b, respectively. The pinking bars 14 and 15 are formed of single layer fabric woven in a conventional manner to prevent raveling.

As an example, this'embodiment of the invention may be constructed with all of the warp yarns being hydrophilic and all of the filling yarns being hydrophobic and wherein each of the four layers of the central panel has 40 warp and 52 filling yarns per inch, each layer of the two ply side panels having 80 warp and 77 filling yarns per inch, and each of the single layer pinking bars having 160 warp and 156 filling yarns per inch. If desired, with an appropriate pattern change, the hydrophobic yarns could be used as warps and the hydrophilic as filling. Further, in some instances for reasons of economy, for example, it might be desirable to use both types of yarns in the warp or filling or a combination of the two.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the diaper fabric of FIG- URE 1 is shown folded on itself and sewn along lines of stitching 20, 21, to provide a prefolded diaper 30 ready for use.

The respective layers of the central panel 11 are woven with a filling float weave to position hydrophobic filling yarns to predominantly form one side of each layer and hydrophilic warp yarns to predominantly form the other side of each layer.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a suitable /2 filling float weave for these central panel fabric layers. The layer 12a shown in FIGURE 4 has hydrophobic filling yarns 40, alphabetically arranged, predominantly on the face of the fabric, with this positional arrangement of the filling yarns being further illustrated in FIGURE 6. FIGURE illustrates 1 the underside of the face layer 11a of FIGURE 4 wherein hydrophilic warp yarns 50, numerically arranged, predominantly make up the underlying surface. This arrangement of the warp yarns 50 is further illustrated in FIG- URE 7.

The respective layers of the two ply side panels 12 and 13 are also formed of a filling float weave to position the hydrophobic filling yarns to predominantly form the faces of the fabric with the hydrophilic warp yarns predominantly forming the interior surfaces of each layer. FIG- URES 8 to 11 illustrate layer 12a show a suitable weave construction for this purpose. As shown, a A filling float twill is used to position the hydrophobic filling yarns 40 on the face of the fabric as illustrated best in FIGURES 8 and 10, and to position the hydrophilic warp yarns on the underside of the layer as shown best in FIGURES 9 and 11. It is to be noted that the filling float weave presents less interlacings of the yarns than a /2 weave as used for the central panel layer. This is desired tomaintain fabric softness in this construction in view of the increased number of warp and filling yarns per inch in the side panel areas.

Referring now to FIGURE v12, X designates those fabric surfaces made up predominantly of hydrophobic yarns and Y designates those fabric surfaces made up predominantly of hydrophilic yarns. It will be noted that the exterior surfaces or faces of the central panel 11 and side panel '12 are predominantly formed of hydrophobic yarns to permit either face of the fabric to be placed in contact with the skin of the baby in accordance with the invention.

Further, it should be noted that all hydrophilic surfaces face toward the interior of the diaper, resulting in transferring the moisture to the interior of the diaper, away "from the skin of the baby. In this respect, it should be further noted that the two innermost surfaces of the central panel, as defined by proximal surfaces of layers 11b and 11c, are predominantly formed by hydrophilic yarns. This arrangement of these proximal surfaces tend to pro- 4 vide a more effective retention of the moisture inside the diaper.

The second embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 13 to 15 may be formed in a similar manner as the first. Basically, this form of the invention differs over that previously describedby being of two-layer construction throughout, except for the pinking bar areas.

As shown, 60 represents the diaper fabric which is woven with a two ply body panel 61 as defined by fabric layers 61a, 61b. Interwoven with the body panel 60 are single layer pinkin-g bar panels 62, 63 extending along the opposite sides thereof. The body and pinking bar panels extend fillingwise with selvages 64, 65 defining the opposite ends of the panels.

As in the first form of the invention, the hydrophobic yarns are positioned to predominantly make up the exte rior surfaces of fabric layers 61a, 61b as indicated in FIGURE 15 by the X designations. In a similar manner the interior surfaces of the fabric layers 61a, 61b are predominantly formed of hydrophilic yarns as indicated at Y. Thus, as in the first embodiment, the diaper fabric 60 may be folded in any desired manner and always present a folded diaper with the surface in contact with the babys skin being [formed predominantly of hydrophobic yarns to draw moisture to the interior of the diaper to be absorbed and retained by the hydrophilic yarns. If desired, the diaper fabric 60 may be folded on itself and stitched to provide a prefolded diaper ready for use. When an exterior surface of a prefolded diaper becomes frayed and worn, the stitching may be removed and the diaper refolded on itself the other way, thus extending the useful life of the diaper with the full benefit of the invention being present.

Reverting to the first embodiment of the invention, practical considerations such as the added cost of the more expensive hydrophobic yarns or the desire to obtain an increased absorbency, would sometimes dictate the elimination of the hydrophobic yarns in the inner layers 11b, 11c of the central panel 11. In such case, these layers would be formed entirely by hydrophilic warp and filling yarns.

Although the instant invention has been specifically described with reference to multi-ply diaper fabrics wherein a plurality of panels extend fillingwise from selvage to selvage, the invention is also applicable to diaper fabrics wherein a plurality of panels extend warpwise, and wherein the fabric is of single layer or multi-layer construction.

In this type diaper fabric a central panel and a pair of side panels are usualy provided, with the side panels adapted to be folded to overlie one face of the central panel to form a diaper ready for use. In single layer diaper fabric of this type, the central panel would normally be formed of hydrophobic Warp yarns predominantly forming the face of the fabric which is to be placed against the babys skin, with the opposite side of the central panel predominantly formed of hydrophilic filling yarns, with the remainder of the warp yarns in the side panels and all of the filling yarns being hydrophilic yarns. In multi-ply diaper fabrics of this type having a warpwise extending multi-ply central panel and a pair of multi-ply side panels interwoven at the selvages, one or both outer faces of the central panel would preferably be formed predominantly of hydrophobic warp yarns with the opposite side thereof predominantly of hydrophobic warp yarns with the opposite side thereof predominantly formed of hydrophilic filling yarns, with the remaining warp yarns of the fabric and all the filling yarns being hydrophilic.

In the drawings and specfiication there has been set forth several embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A woven diaper adapted to be folded comprising at least two layers of juxtaposed fabric defining opposite sides of at least the central portion of the diaper, each of said fabric layers being formed of interwoven hydrophobic and hydrophilic yarns, the exterior surfaces of each layer being predominantly formed of the hydrophobic yarns to draw moisture away from'the skin of a wearer, and the interior surfaces of each layer being predominantly formed of hydrophilic yarns'to absorb and retain the moisture.

2. A diaper according to claim 1 in which the diaper is of rectangular shape, in which the filling yarns run in the long direction of the rectangle, and in which the short edges of the rectangle are defined by selvages.

3. A woven diaper adapted to be folded comprising four layers of juxtaposed fabric defining a central panel of the diaper, each of said fabric layers being formed of interwoven hydrophobic and hydrophilic yarns, the exterior surfaces of two of the layers which define opposite sides of the diaper being predominantly formed of the hydrophobic yarns to draw moisture to the interior of the diaper, the interior surfaces of these two layers being predominantly formed of the hydrophilic yarns to absorb and retain the moisture, the remaining two layers having their proximal surfaces predominantly'formed of hydrophilic yarns and their distal surfaces predominantly formed of hydrophobic yarns.

4. A diaper according to claim,3 wherein two layer side panels extend along opposite sides-of the central panel, the exterior surfaces of the side panels being predominantly formed of hydrophobic yarns and the interior surfaces thereof being predominantly formed of hydrophilic yarns.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,894,511 7/1959 Devaud 128284 2,905,176 9/1959 Davidson 128-284 3,113,570 12/1963 Holliday et al 128-284 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,165,801 10/1958 France.

CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,409,012 November 5, 1968 Norman L. Seltzer It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 15, "diapper" should read diaper lines 52 and 53, "predominanantly" should read predominantly Column 2 line 18, "greattly" should read greatly line 21, "pre .dominately" should read predominantly line 32, "perdominantly" should read predominantly line 54, "layer." should read layer; Column 3, line 46, "illustrate" should read illustrating line 74, "by" should read of line 75, "tend" should read tends Column 4, line 40, "by" should read of line 48, after "type" insert of line 49, "usualy" should read usually lines 64 and 6S, cancel "predominantly of hydrophobic warp yarns with the opposite side thereof".

Signed and sealed this 10th day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A WOVEN DIAPER ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO LAYERS OF JUXTAPOSED FABRIC DEFINING OPPOSITE SIDES OF AT LEAST THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE DIAPER, EACH OF SAID FABRIC LAYERS BEING FORMED OF INTERWOVEN HYDROPHOBIC AND HYDROPHILIC YARNS, THE EXTERIOR SURFACES OF EACH LAYER BEING PREDOMINANTLY FORMED OF THE HYDROPHOBIC YARNS TO DRAW MOISTURE AWAY FROM THE SKIN OF A WEARER, AND THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF EACH LAYER BEING PREDOMINANTLY FORMED OF HYDROPHILIC YARNS TO ABSORB AND RETIAN THE MOISTURE. 